65 die as Jigawa records 257 Meningitis cases

Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) has killed about 65 people mostly children below 11 years, while over 257 cases were recorded in Jigawa State.

It was gathered that the outbreak of the disease in the state was reported in May as the case worsened around communities sharing border with Niger republic.

It was further learnt some people lost their sense of hearing as a result of the disease in many parts of the state.

The worst-hit communities are Mele, Dungundun, Kanya Arewa and Dantanoma villages in Babura; Gumel, Maigatari and Suletankarkar Local Government Areas of Jigawa State.

The village head of Dungundun, Malam Alkasim Yakubu, who spoke to newsmen on the outbreak of the disease said: “We lost 19 people in this village, the majority were children.”

Yakubu added that the disease was first recorded in April, noting that it has continued to spread in the area in May.

“19 died, 2 people lost their sense of hearing and it was shocking to us as we have never experienced such disaster.

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“We took the patients to Danladin Gumel health post where some died there, while some of the other victims died at home before being taken to hospital. Some of them were also referred to Gumel General Hospital,” he disclosed.

According to the village head of Mele village in Gumel Local Government Area, Malam Yusuf Ahmad, “21 people died and over 30 people recovered.”

Also speaking on the outbreak, the village head of Kanya Arewa in Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Alhaji Akilu Dawaki, stated that Meningitis killed 19 people in his domain.

Dawaki added that over 70 cases were recorded in the area.

“What helps us in controlling the disease was that we locally established an isolation center and move the patients,” he said.

The epidemiologist in the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Samaila Mahmud, confirmed the outbreak saying: “The record available in the ministry indicated that 65 people have so far died, 257 cases recorded in 18 out of 27 local government areas of the state.”

The Star